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obeisance

noun

Definition of obeisancenext
as in homage
a show of respect or acknowledgement of the authority or importance of another They made obeisance before the king and queen. She earned herself some political enemies when she failed to make the proper obeisance to those in power.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of obeisance But as wrong-headed as the Court’s obeisance to the executive branch has been (see, for example, its 2024 ruling on Presidential immunity), that deference has its limits. — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2026 After a decade of seemingly supine obeisance, there is no obvious reason why the military leadership would suddenly rouse itself to oppose Xi. — Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2025 But Zuckerberg isn’t the only one paying abject obeisance to the president. — Max Taves, Mercury News, 11 July 2025 In the first case, Obama was accused of showing obeisance to a foreign ruler and Islam. — Brendan Cole shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for obeisance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obeisance
  1. homage
  2. respect
  3. salute
  4. nod
  5. bow
  6. reverence
  7. submissiveness
Noun
  • Veronica Beard, which launched in 2010 with its signature Dickey Jacket, is unveiling Blazer Atelier, an homage to the brand’s roots and a nod to a new direction.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • No, this film is not a perfect homage to 1970s tough-guy action flicks.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of homage
Noun
  • Venus retrograde in Scorpio and Libra lasts from October 3 to November 13, and asks us to decipher who and what respects and esteems us (and vice versa).
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2026
  • On Sunday night, this 36-year-old didn’t look a day over 27, made possible by the infusion of the run game and the respect opposing defenses now need to pay to the line of scrimmage.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of respect
Noun
  • Thomas, who is Jewish, said that then a man stood up at the meeting and gave a Nazi salute, shouting Heil Hitler.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Speaking of perfect timing, here’s a salute to Al Benton, a right-hander for four teams (also the Philadelphia A’s and Detroit Tigers) from 1934 to 1952.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of salute
Noun
  • In a nod to the brand’s Brazilian roots, Brazil nut oil (rich in vitamin E and fatty acids including omegas 3 and 6) adds nourishing emollient benefits, while rice bran oil and dimethicone soften skin and keep moisture from escaping.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Peach cobbler is a rotating staple, a nod to the Southern woman who was her father’s immigration sponsor.
    — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of nod
Noun
  • Feminine touches like off-the-shoulder bow details were included on the top of the dress straps, while a Y2K-era bubble style was featured at the hemline.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Midfielder Quim Junyent, meanwhile, did not make his Barca bow but was mentioned in conversations about breakthrough graduates.
    — Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of bow
Noun
  • Lo, in a similar cadence to peers like Charli xcx and personal icons like Lykke Li, approaches the dance floor with both reverence and reflection.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Last April, Phuwin appeared in a Loewe campaign based on Songkran, the Thai New Year’s celebration that has been likened to a nationwide water fight, though its rituals are meant to symbolize cleansing, reverence and good fortune.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of reverence
Noun
  • Attraction is a function of parentage and looks and submissiveness.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 May 2026
  • But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.
    — Dan Pompei, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
Definition of submissiveness

Browse Nearby Words

obedient
obeisance
obeisant
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Cite this Entry

“Obeisance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obeisance. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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